Kirtanananda Swami
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Kirtanananda Swami, also known as Swami Bhaktipada was born Keith Gordon Ham in 1937, the son of a Southern Baptist minister.
In 1966, Kirtanananda became one of the first American disciples of Indian guru A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the ISKCON organisation, more popularly known in the west as the Hare Krishnas. Kirtananda was given the name Kirtananda das. Later, he went on to become Prabhupada's first disciple to recieve the post of Sanyasa, while travelling with Prabhupada in India. In 1968, Kirtanananda signed a 99-year lease on 130 acres of land in West Virginia, which was the beginning of what Prabhupada called New Vrindavan. Upon Prabhupada's death in 1977, Kirtanananda was among 11 gurus selected to initiate disciples.
In 1986, Kirtanananda Swami was removed from ISKCON for failing to submit to the ISKCON Governing Body Commission and for illegal activities.[1]. He then established his own organization and took several properties with him, including New Vrindavan. New Vrindavan was excommunicated the following year.
In 1990, the US federal government indicted Kirtanananda Swami on five counts of racketeering, six counts of mail fraud, and conspiracy to murder two of his opponents in the Hare Krishna movement. The government claimed that he illegally amassed a profit of more than $10.5 million over four years. It also charged that he ordered the killings because the victims threatened to reveal that he sexually abused minors.
The swami was convicted on nine of the eleven charges in 1991, but the Court of Appeals threw out the convictions, saying that child molestation evidence had unfairly prejudiced the jury against Kirtanananda Swami who was not charged with those crimes.
In 1996, before Kirtanananda Swami's retrial was completed, he pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but was released in June 2004.[2].
Kirtanananda Swami now resides at Sri Sri Radha Murlidara Temple, New York, with his disciples and followers.
